Finance Minister Manpreet Badal Thursday caught two traffic policemen taking bribe from some commuters while he was on his way to Chandigarh from Ferozepur via Ludhiana. The incident happened at Doraha near Ludhiana bypass when the minister, whose vehicle was not having any beacon, noticed two policemen taking bribe from some commuters. Manpreet stopped his vehicle immediately and called the two policemen for an explanation. Later, his assistant shot a video of the policemen confessing to the wrongdoing and pleading guilty, which was submitted to Ludhiana police commissioner. SSP (Khanna) Rajjit Singh Hundal said that both policemen had been suspended and a departmental inquiry initiated against them.

Badal from travelling from Hussainiwala border in Ferozepur to Chandigarh after attending the martyrdom day function of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev.

The policemen, identified as Jajgit Singh and Manjit Singh, both head constables posted in traffic police department of Khanna, were caught unawares as the minister’s vehicle had no beacon or a cavalcade accompanying it. They were complete unaware of any VIP movement in the area.

Ludhiana Police Commissioner Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh said he had received the video from the minister and referred the matter to SSP Khanna. “The incident happened in Doraha, which falls under Khanna police jurisdiction. The minister was travelling without any escort or protocol vehicle,” said the commissioner.

Khanna SSP said, “The video only has confession of the policemen and their apology. We are yet to interrogate them to get other details. But they have been suspended with immediate affect and departmental inquiry initiated against them.”